Tennis: Tsonga advances in US Open

NEW YORK: French fifth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, a quarterfinalist in 2011, advanced to the second round of the US Open by defeating Slovakian qualifier Karol Beck 6-3, 6-1, 7-6 (7/2) on Tuesday.

Tsonga will next face another Slovakian, 52nd-ranked Martin Klizan.

There were also wins for Czech sixth seed Tomas Berdych, who beat Belgium's David Goffin 7-5, 6-3, 6-3, and Spanish 11th seed Nicolas Almagro, who saw off Czech veteran Radek Stepanek 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-4.

Canadian 15th seed Milos Ranoic survived a gruelling five-setter to beat Santiago Giraldo 6-3, 4-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, firing 30 aces in the process.

Andy Roddick, the last American man to win a major when he won his one and only Grand Slam title at the 2003 US Open, defeated compatriot Rhyne Williams 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.

Roddick, the 20th seed, will face either Australia's Bernard Tomic or Carlos Berlocq for a place in the last 32.

Later on Tuesday, defending champion Novak Djokovic gets his campaign underway against Italy's Paolo Lorenzi, who is making his US Open debut at the age of 30 and has yet to win a Grand Slam match.

World No 2 Djokovic beat Rafael Nadal in last year's final after coming from two sets down and saving two match points against Roger Federer in the semifinals.